Chongqing

Could not find a laundry ANYWHERE. Asked the locals and they said they have never heard of such a service.

One drycleaning shop was willing but they had a three day turn around and they were more expensive then the hotel.

Beijjing

Can someone give me an EXACT address in Chinese where one can get his laundry done by weight? It would be greatly appreciated.

Going there right now and I have soooooooo much laundry I am scared to work out the cost at a hotel.

I just tried the people at Sophisticated Cleaners, they are cool. They call themselves Shanghai CLothes Spa (not sure why) but they came and picked up my laundry yesterday morning and now Ialready have it back. 2large bags of underwear and socks and 9 dress shirts came to like 230 RMB. It wouldhave cost me over 500 if I were to use the hotel laundry service. I am staying at the Regent on Yan An Lu. Shanghai laundry doesn't scare me any more.

CG

If you know any expats, ask. Hotel concierges check. The hotels will say they do laundry, but then look at them, smile and say, that's far too expensive (this tactic works better when in Mandarin). Usually they'll smile and give you a heads up. If you write "Forenet" its a chain, they might know.

There's a Fornet or two on Xinjiekou Wai street, near where I used to live near xiao xi tian. I know they do pressing and dry cleaning, and am sure they could do laundry too. If you're coming from a most eastern part of town, take a right onto Xin Jie Kou, if you're coming from a more western part of town on the second ring, make a left onto Xinjiekou. Drive along XinvJie Kou for 300+ yards and there should be a Forenet on your right side, the sign will be in a blueish green and "Forenet" will be written in English.


洗衣 - are the characters you want to look for otherwise.

During our 4-week long July trip to north and south-west China, we found laundry in all small towns (pop 50K+).
As said by several prior posts, doing your own socks and undies was our normal practice (if time allows).
Due to 93F+ temp and 100% humidity, I changed cloth twice each day. We sent out wash-and-wear stuff daily. Found outside laundry service efficient, 24-hour turn-around, and folded. Pay when you drop off clothes. Average cost (samples only): 2RMB for socks and undies; 4RMB for pants and shirts; 7RMB for jeans. These prices are samples in smaller towns only. Bigger cities tend to cost a bit more.
Sorry, no personal experience for Hangzhou or Suzhou.

As I've posted on the Priority Club (Intercontinental, Holiday Inn) forum, at least some of the Holiday Inn Express hotels in China have self-serve laundry (website lists it as an amenity). I am going to try to use one next month (the new HIX Beijing Temple of Heaven). If it works, it will definitely be a good reason to consider these hotels.

Just don't use the dryer. I made that mistake last time I used it. The exhaust pipe was not hooked up, so the steam stayed inside the dryer & after 90 mins the clothes were still damp.

We'll that will be a problem! I can see every nook of my room covered with air-drying clothes.

Sorry, it should be "FORNET" not "FORENET"

Figured I'd make another post since it's been a few days...

HA-HA-HA-HA. Nearly all smaller, residential-size dryers in China are condensing-type dryers similar to many of the ones you find in Europe, not exhaust type dryers such as the ones sold in the USA. They didn't forget to hook up the exhaust pipe, this kind of dryer doesn't have one as it condenses steam and heat into the room itself. They are generally less efficient at drying, so you have to put about half the load size in that you put in the washer. Or if it was a combo machine, do the wash load then take out half the clothes before you dry the other half. And it takes longer. While it doesn't work so well in humid southern China, up here in Beijing, I air dry clothes on a rack, and it's usually so dry I can have most things air dry within 4-5 hours.

In my experience, self-service laundromats are next to impossible to find anywhere in China, but in major cities, drop-off shops that have quick turn-around and cheaper service is somewhat more likely to be found in university districts than in business districts.

In Zhangjiajie now, a small city in Hunan. Just got 13 pieces cleaned and ironed for RMB36 in a local dry cleaner. I seem to remember that's about the price for 1-2 pieces in an upscale hotel. You have to be mad to pay those prices

"gan xi" = dry cleaner....pronunciation is "gan she", have fun

Fornet has outlets in almost every office building it seems. Just walk into a couple office buildings and read the directory. I bet you could find one pretty easily. Also the larger Jinkelong grocery stores have Fornet counters.

I had pretty good luck using a Holiday Inn Express self-serve laundromat the last time. Well, except for the red t-shirt that I bought in China that turned my underwear pink -- a lesson learned! It was definitely easier than the laundry alternatives I've used before in China.

This time, it looks like I'll be in Chengdu during the middle of my trip and I see there's a well regarded and very affordable HI Express. I guess I'll have to trade some "luxury" and frequent stay benefits that I could get at other hotels for the ability to do my laundry. ButI've found the free HI Express breakfasts to be decent in China and the rooms more than reasonable, so it's hardly a hardship.

A couple of families staying 3 days in HK and then onto Beijing for 4 days. Any place for non-hotel priced laundry service near China World Hotel. A couple of the family members speaks Chinese....

Well, you can try to use the store locator on the Fornet site:

http://www.fornet.com.cn/a-c/fornet-md2.php?id=401

Unfortunately, it appears that selecting Chaoyang and scanning the list of choices is the only way to search. Also, I didn't notice anything closer than Ritan Bei Lu or Wanda. USA Laundry is another big chain.

I don't think there are any laundry places in either China World or Kerry malls, though I could be mistaken.

When walking around (prob not many places in CBD) look for the "洗衣" characters..

Or just tell them to ask the hotel. Particularly if someone in their party speaks some Chinese, the staff at most of these places (all in my recollection) are more than understanding. Here's how it would go (or has for me).

Guest: Do you know where I can do my laundry?

Staff: You can do it here in the hotel

Guest (smiling): But its really expensive, I mean I can't really afford that 40RMB to wash one pair of underwear (insert simple clothing here). Would you do laundry here?

Staff (smiling, maybe complimenting on how "good" the guests Chinese is - though less and less at higher end places): Well you could go [insert address/location]. Or, sorry there is nothing here, everything has been built up.

Another possibility is to call up housekeeping and just ask. It can't hurt.